


Something More Than Me

by praesaepe



Series: Undercover [1]
Category: Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers Animated (2007)
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M, Pre-Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-01
Updated: 2020-01-01
Packaged: 2021-02-27 05:02:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,228
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22061506
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/praesaepe/pseuds/praesaepe
Summary: Megatron contemplates how to win a war. Shockwave gives him an option he's not overly fond of.
Relationships: Megatron/Shockwave
Series: Undercover [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1587892
Comments: 2
Kudos: 19
Collections: Secret Solenoid '19-'20





	Something More Than Me

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Radio Rascal (Vagrants)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vagrants/gifts).



> Secret Solenoid gift for [Radio Rascal](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vagrants/pseuds/Radio%20Rascal). Part 1 of 2 because the original thing I started on wasn't as on-prompt as I liked but still worked to accompany this piece. I adored writing this - TFA is one of my favorite continuities, and Shockwave and Megatron are fantastic in it. I hope you like it!
> 
> Title is from ["One Day" by Paolo Nutini.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sNHvbRccVs)
> 
> Find me on tumblr at [praesaepe](https://praesaepe.tumblr.com/)!

Megatron looked down at the holomap in front of him with a grimace. Too few ships, too little information, and too many Autobots. Always with the Primus-damned Autobots. He shifted some of the purple lights representing Decepticon ships and ran the simulation again, letting out a growl of frustration as they winked out under onslaught from the Autobot red. It wasn’t unexpected, not at this point, after however many sims he had run, but it still made him clench his fists in frustration. He slowly loosened a servo and pressed a button on the table to turn the map off, straining with the effort of not just smashing the electronic panel.

No matter how he looked at it, there was no way he could take Cybertron. He had long ordered his Decepticons into hiding, letting the Autobots believe they had won the war. Maybe eventually they would be lulled into a false sense of security - though, with Ultra Magnus in charge, Megatron doubted that. No, what the Cause needed was more troops. Thus far, all efforts to locate the Allspark had failed; they could only bide their time, keep making forays into the far reaches of Cybertronian space and beyond. So far from Cybertron, though, there was no good way of keeping an eye on Autobot movements.

There was a ping from the door. He almost ignored it, but thought better of it. “Come in,” he said, allowing the door to slide open with a hiss.

“My Lord.” Megatron turned to look at the mech entering the room, some of the tension lifting off his shoulders just at the sound of his voice.

“Shockwave,” he said. As Shockwave drew near, Megatron reached out a servo to catch his conjunx’s claws and bring them to his lips for a gentle kiss. “My love, how glad I am to see you.” Shockwave’s optic glowed a brilliant red, and Megatron felt affection trickle across their bond. He let Shockwave’s servo fall.

“You were upset. I came to see if I could assist you.” Others might have seen it as a cool statement of fact, devoid of any real substance or feeling, but Megatron knew his conjunx, knew the little tilt of his head and felt the worry bubbling up in their sparkbond. He smiled, strained and tired, and looked back towards the table. His thumb brushed over the “on” button again, revealing the simulation he had been running and its disastrous result.

“No matter what I do, I can’t find a way to defeat the Autobots and take Cybertron back. Everything I try is overcome by sheer numbers. We can’t win this war on strategy alone; we need the Allspark,” he said softly. After a moment, he looked away. “Even then, I’m not sure if it will be enough. Most of our inside agents have been caught or killed - you know that, of course. They were working under you. Half of the positions of the Autobot ships on this map are mere estimates based on previous maneuvers and trajectories.” He set his servo on the table and let his head drop in an almost defeated manner. This sort of moment was one he would never let Starscream see, not in a million stellar cycles, but here? In front of Shockwave? He would lay his spark bare.

“I admit, your need for reassurance was not the only reason I came. I found an opportunity,” Shockwave said after a moment. Megatron looked up, meeting Shockwave’s optic with his own.

“Something tells me I may not be a fan of it,” he said, noting the slight backward tilt of Shockwave’s antlers and frowning.

“Unfortunately not, my Lord,” he said. “Nevertheless, it is something we must consider. I have found a way to slip a mech in as a new recruit in the Autobot Elite Guard training school. A new class will start in 6.2 decacyles, our officer among them. From there, they can work up in the intelligence ranks and pass information back to Decepticon intelligence so that we can be prepared when the Allspark is recovered.” 

“And who do you intend on sending?” Megatron asked as though he did not already know in his spark what the answer would be.

“Myself,” Shockwave said shortly. When there was no further explanation forthcoming, Megatron nodded curtly and gave Shockwave a hard look.

“Why would I be sending my own head of intelligence behind enemy lines, especially after most of his existing network has been destroyed and would have great difficulty pulling him out if the need arises?” 

“I would be the one to go in precisely because of that. With myself establishing the basis of a new system, I would be able to effectively position any other incoming agents and decide what information is most relevant  _ before _ taking the risk of transmitting it. Furthermore, I already have the necessary mass-shifting modifications to disguise myself, giving me more time to prepare for the mission than a mech who would need to get them.”

“Who would monitor intelligence in your absence?” Megatron felt as though he were grasping at loose strands, trying to find a way to keep this from being viable, but every klik his processor turned the idea over, the more sense it made.

“I will be able to maintain most of my duties after I establish myself in their ranks, but General Strika is capable of taking on some of the responsibilities of my position,” Shockwave said. He was right. Strika was more than capable of it; the title “General of Destruction” was not one he had bestowed on her lightly.

Megatron would be a horrible leader if he allowed sentiment to get in the way of what might be the only plan available that could be capable of setting them up for victory, but it burned him to have to make the decision anyways. He looked at Shockwave, taking in his handsome purple plating, those dark claws that had cradled his own so gently, the antlers that did more to express emotion than Shockwave cared to admit. He blinked, and for a moment he saw that same plating spattered with energon, the claws tearing apart a mech in the midst of battle and the antlers tilted back in neatly contained rage, and he gave in.

“Make the arrangements, then. I would like a mission briefing as soon as possible,” he said stiffly. Shockwave nodded.

“Of course, my Lord,” he said. His antlers perked up the slightest amount, and he spoke again in a soft tone he rarely used. “Megatron?” Megatron’s spark sped up at his conjunx’s use of his name.

“Yes, Shockwave?” Shockwave’s clawed servos closed over one of his blunt ones, before one traced a path up his arm and cupped the edge of his helm delicately.

“I love you,” he said, “and I will return to you safely. I know you will find the Allspark, and you will bring the Decepticons home.”

“To Cybertron?” Megatron asked, a soft smile forming.

“To Cybertron.” Shockwave nodded. He leaned forward and pressed the blunt edge of his faceplate against Megatron’s lips before letting go and turning away. The door slid closed behind him. Megatron steeled his expression and turned back to the holomap to pull up the data for their mission to find the Allspark. He had a lot of work to do.


End file.
